The COP 23 was aimed at laying the groundwork for negotiating implementation rules of the Paris Agreement by 2018. Under the presidency of Fiji, a small-island developing state, the COP 23 is assessed to make considerable discussions and outcomes, focusing on adaptation to climate change.

There has been a progress on discussing the Adaptation Fund, one of the key financial sources of developing countries for climate change adaptation, and documents related to loss and damage as well as women and indigenous people were adopted.

[Key Outcomes of COP23]

The delegates prepared informal notes reflecting two-weeks of negotiations on the implementation of the Paris Agreement by 2018 for each agenda item, and they adopted the notes as an appendix to the outcome document titled "Fiji Momentum for the Implementation of the Paris Agreement."

The document will serve as the groundwork for negotiations reflecting each country's stance, still leaving the gap between developed and developing countries. Fiji, the COP23 Presidency, will take stock of how global climate actions have been progressing through the "Talanoa Dialogue," and carry out a series of technical and political process by 2018 to contribute to each party's reduction efforts.

[Key Figures and Remarks by Major Countries]

At the COP23, the heads of states reiterated the irreversibility of the historic Paris Agreement and shared their own greenhouse gas emissions reduction and energy conversion policies to cope with climate change.

French President Emmanuel Macron made a pledge that France and Europe will compensate the IPCC's loss of funding due to the withdrawal of the United States, and will shut down all coal-fired power plants by 2021.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged each country to raise ambition in five action areas, which are emissions, adaptation, finance, partnership, and leadership, to limit the rise of global temperature 2 degrees Celsius.

[Activities of Environment Minister and ROK Delegation]

The Korean delegation submitted five common national proposals and one independent national proposal to the Secretariat of UNFCCC after prior consultation with the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) on key issues. Based on proposals, the delegation actively participated in negotiating how to lay out the implementation rules of the Paris Agreement in details.

Environment Minister Kim Eunkyung delivered a keynote speech at a high-level session on November 6. In her keynote speech, Minister Kim introduced that Korea aims to realize a low-carbon society based on human-centered state administration philosophy. Minister Kim also reaffirmed Korea's will to implement the Paris Agreement and shared Korea's climate change policies including eco-friendly energy conversion policies and the Emissions Trading Scheme.

Minister Kim attended the EIG Ministerial Meeting on November 16, held a signing ceremony for the joining of Georgia and shared opinions on climate change polices with EIG member states.

Minister also met with Chinese chief climate negotiator Xie Zenhua and agreed to foster bilateral environmental cooperation to respond to climate change and reduce fine dust in the region.

During the COP23, the Korean government set up a Korea Pavilion to promote climate change policies and technologies including Eco-friendly Energy Town, national adaptation action, climate-related technology development and cooperation.

The central and local governments as well as NGOs held about 20 side events to facilitate in-depth discussion on climate change. In particular, the Korean government co-hosted events with international organizations such as OECD and GGGI to expand the global network of Korean experts.During the COP23, about 6,000 participants visited the Korea Pavilion, receiving favorable comments for the PyeongChang Olympics 2018 Photo Zone and traditional craft art.

For more information, please contact us :
Public Relations Team
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Last modified : 2017-12-12 08:38

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